Basketball game



June 16, 1964 v. H. BALLARD BASKETBALL GAME Filed Oct. 9, 1962 a 01 w B9PLAYING PER D 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Victor H Ballard IN VENTOR.

BY M

June 16, 1964 v. H. BALLARD 3,137,503

BASKETBALL GAME Filed Oct. 9, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3 5 F $Eki 1fiI Tl MER l 50 w a l 618 E MM 2 /a Fig. 5 W Fig. 4 54 Victor H. BallardIN VEN TOR.

United States Patent 3,137,503 BASKETBALL GAME Victor H. Ballard, 519First National Bank Bldg, Montgomery, Ala. Fiied Oct. 9, 1962, Ser. No.229,297 10 Claims. (Cl. 273-1.5)

This invention relates to a new and useful game and more particularly,to a basketball type of game and associated apparatus for providingrecreation on a commercial basis.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide asystem and arrangement of apparatus through which players may competeand develop skills for recreational purposes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide game apparatusarranged to stimulate competition and develop skills in connection withbasketball playing without reliance on opposing teams nor requiring thetime involved in connection with the usual basketball game so played.

An additional object of the present invention in accordance with theforegoing object, is to provide facilities for developing the skill andaccuracy of a player in connection with basketball as well as to developspeed in connection therewith.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a basketballtype of game in which competitive interest is maintained despite widediscrepancy in the skills of the players competing.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the arrangement of apparatus inaccordance with the game playing procedure of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an illustration of a scoring card utilized in connectionwith the novel game of the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged front elevational view of the backboard assemblyand goal basket.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the backboard assembly and goalbasket illustrated in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a simplified, exemplary circuit diagram associated with theapparatus of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be observed from FIGURE1, that the game of the present invention requires the use of a playingfield preferably 30' x 35' sectioned into squares, the playing fieldbeing generally referred to by reference numeral 10. A backboardassembly generally referred to by reference numeral 12 is mountedapproximately ten feet above the surface of the playing field by anysuitable suspending bracket assembly 14. The backboard assembly is alsodisposed approximately four feet from the rear side 16 of the playingfield so as to properly position the goal basket 18 mounted thereon.Benches 20 may be placed at the peripheral portions of the playing fieldas for example the side 22 thereof. Also provided, is a score keepingstand 24 and a cabinet assembly 26 mounting a basketball rack 28 and acontrol panel 30.

The playing field 10 in addition to being lined with squaresub-divisions, is provided with a plurality of circles 32, each being ofa different color so as to facilitate identification of the spotlocations they represent. Each of the differently colored circles 32 istherefore provided with an inner white circle 34 clearly marked with aspot location number from which a player may throw or hurl a basketballagainst the backboard assembly 12 in an 3,137,503 Patented June 16, 1964ice attempt to have it rebound into the goal basket 13 for scoringpurposes. In the illustrated arrangement, the spot locations arenumbered from 1 through 10. It will be noted, that those spot locationsat the beginning of the number sequence from 1 through 10, are morewidely spaced than the spot locations at the end of the number sequence.The players attempt to have the basketball rebound into the goal basketmay thereby be undertaken from a variety of diiferent situations.

Referring now to FIGURES 3 and 4 in particular, it will be noted thatthe backboard assembly 12 includes a forward rebound surface member 36which is made of transparent material through which an illuminationmounting score box assembly 38 is exposed. An 18" diameter basketballhoop 40 is mounted by the bracket 42 on the rebound surface member 36adjacent the lower side thereof, and a net 44 may be suspended from thehoop 40 in the usual manner. Exposed through the transparent member 36is an area having a border 46 disposed just above the goal basket 18. Aplurality of spot indicators 48 are positioned within the area enclosedby the border 46 in relative locations corresponding to the spotlocations on the playing field 10. Accordingly, each of the spotindicators 48 may be defined by an annular or circular portion 50colored the same as the color of the spot location portion 32 with whichit is associated and having an inner illuminated number portion 52. Thebasketball when thrown from any of the spot locations on the playingfield may therefore rebound into the goal basket 18. Illumination of oneof the numbered inner portions 52 of the spot indicators may thereforeserve to both direct the player to the corresponding spot location onthe playing field from which the ball is to be thrown and also providean indication of the time elapsed. Therefore, each of the spotindicators will be illuminated for a predetermined interval of time andsequentially following each other. A total of ten such intervalsrepresented by the sequential illumination of the spot indicators 48,represents a period during which the player may score each time thebasketball enters through the goal basket 18. Accordingly, a periodscore indicator generally referred to by reference numeral 54 is alsomounted on the assembly 38 for exposure through the transparent member36 to one side of the area enclosed within the border 46. A cumulativescore may thereby be tallied on the score indicator 54 as indicated bythe boxes numbered 1 through 10. Mounted on the assembly 38 for exposurethrough the transparent member 36 on the side of the area enclosed bythe border 46 opposite the score indicator 54, is a speed classindicator 56. The speed class indicator 56 is designed to indicate byillumination of the appropriate numbered box, the time interval duringwhich each of the spot indicators 48 is illuminated. It will beappreciated, that players within different speed classes, are capable ofmoving from one spot location on the field to the other while dribblingthe ball and then successfully throwing the ball onto the backboardassembly 12 for rebound into the goal basket 18. The game may thereforebe set in accordance with the skill of the player by regulating thespeed with which the player must shoot from each of the spot locations.

Referring therefore to FIGURE 5 in particular, an exemplary circuitdiagram is illustrated wherein a plurality of timing circuit assemblies58 are diagrammatically illustrated, each of said assemblies includingthe appropriate relays and switches through which a plurality ofcircuits are sequentially energized and de-energized with predeterminedtime intervals therebetween which are different with respect to each ofthe diiferent timing circuit assemblies. Accordingly, each of the timingcircuits is provided with a start button 60 so that the timing intervalsmay be selected by the player. The control buttons 60 may therefore beconveniently mounted on the control panel 30 as hereinbefore indicated.The particular timing or speed so selected will therefore illuminate theappropriate numbered box of the speed class indicator 56 throughenergization of one of the lamps 62 associated with each of the timingcircuit assemblies 58. After making the selection, energization of theindicators and the beginning of play may start when the start button 64is depressed. A plurality of lamps 66 will then be illuminated andextinguished so as to sequentially illuminate the spot indicators 48providing both direction to the player as to the spot location fromwhich he is to shoot and also to provide an indication of the timeelapsed within the period for which the game is set upon selection ofthe timing circuit assembly 58. At the end of the period, the lamp 68will be illuminated so as to illuminate the top sign portion 70 of thebackboard assembly indicating the end of a period. A cumulative scorewill be maintained by the counter device 54 registering through thebackboard assembly by illumination of the proper numbered box. A scorewill of course occur when a ball enters the goal basket 18. Accordingly,mounted on the bracket 42 is a trigger switch assembly 72 from which theswitch lever 74 extends adapted to be actuated by a ball entering thebasket 18. Thus, during each period representing the operative cycle ofthe selected timing circuit assembly 58, closure of the trigger switch72 will produce a counting pulse and thereby maintain through thecounter 54, a cumulative tally of the score during the period.

The score at the end of a period may therefore be recorded on anappropriate score card such as the score card 76 illustrated in FIGURE2. The player may therefore play ten periods and accumulate a score upto a maximum of 100 points where ten spot locations are involved.Various rules may also be formulated in connection With the playing ofthe game including for example requirements that the player forfeit thescore of a period should he not shoot within the time interval indicatedby the spot indicators 48 or if he shoots from the improper spotlocation corresponding to the illuminated spot indicator 43. Dependingupon the skill of the player, the length of the time intervals betweenshooting may be selected so as to provide a more competitive game whentwo players having a wide discrepancy in skill are playing together.

From the foregoing description, the apparatus and the playing of thegame of the present invention will be apparent. It will therefore beappreciated, that to play a game, the player will firstly actuate one ofthe speed control buttons 60 on the control panel 3% to thereby selectthe time interval between shooting. A start button 64 may then bedepressed and the player may proceed to the first spot location on theplaying field attempting to shoot the ball into the basket during thetime that the spot indicator 48 bearing the number 1 is illuminated.Should the player then score, a point will be registered by illuminationof the appropriate box on the score indicator 54. The player will thendribble the ball to the next spot location and attempt to again causethe ball to rebound from the backboard into the goal basket within thetime allotted. Each time the player scores a tally will be maintained bythe score indicator 54. At the end of a period, the final tally willappear on the score indicator 54 and the upper portion 70 of the scoreboard assembly will be illuminated so as to indicate the end of theperiod. The players score for that period may then be recorded on thescore card 76 as illustrated in FIGURE 2. Each player may so play tenperiods and the scores compared. Players having more skill, will ofcourse be handicapped by the selection of a more rapid time intervalbetween the spot locations. It will also be appreciated, that twoplayers may play at the same time as a team by one player shooting fromthe even numbered spot locations and the other player of the same teamfrom the odd numbered spot locations. Also, two players competing witheach other may play in succession after completion of a playing periodfor each player.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with apparatus for playing basketball or the likehaving a playing field and a backboard on which a goal basket is mountedabove the playing field adjacent one side thereof; a plurality of spotindicators mounted on the backboard at positions corresponding tonumbered spot locations on the playing field from which a player mayhurl a ball against the backboard for rebound into the goal basket,timing means for sequentially rendering the spot indicators operative toshow elapse of time and direct the player and score counting meansrendered operative in response to a ball entering said goal basket whena spot indicator is operative.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said timing means includesselectively controlled speed means for varying the time interval duringwhich each spot indicator is rendered operative and means for indicatingthe speed selection made.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein sequentially numbered spotlocations are closer to each otherat the end of the number sequence onthe playing field.

4. The combination of claim 3, wherein said score counting meanscomprises, trigger switch means mounted in the goal basket for actuationby a ball, and tally indicating means mounted on said backboard andoperatively connected to the switch means.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said backboard comprises atransparent rebound surface member to support the goal basket thereon,and illumination mounting means protectively disposed rearwardly of therebound surface member for supporting the spot indicators, the tallyindicating means and the speed selection indicating means.

6. The combination of claim 1, wherein said score counting meanscomprises, trigger switch means mounted in the goal basket for actuationby a ball, and tally indicating means mounted on said backboard andoperatively connected to the switch means.

7. ,The combination of claim 6 wherein said backboard comprises atransparent rebound surface member to support the goal basket thereon,and illumination mounting means protectively disposed rearwardly of therebound surface member for supporting the spot indicators, and the tallyindicating means.

8. The combination of claim 1 wherein said backboard comprises atransparent rebound surface member to support the goal basket thereon,and illumination mounting means protectively disposed rearwardly of therebound surface member for supporting the spot indicators.

9. The combination of claim 1, wherein sequentially numbered spotlocations are closer to each other at the end of the number sequence onthe playing field.

10. In combination with apparatus for playing basketball or the likehaving a playing field and a backboard on which a goal basket is mountedabove the playing field adjacent one side thereof; a plurality of spotindicators mounted on the backboard at positions corresponding tonumbered spot locations on the playing field from which a player mayhurl a ball against the backboard for rebound into the goal basket,timing means for sequentially rendering the spot indicators operative toshow elapse of time and direct the player and score counting meansrendered operative in response to a ball entering said goal basket whena spot indicator is operative, said timing means including selectivelycontrolled speed means for 5 varying the time interval during which eachspot indicator porting the spot indicators, and the speed selectionindiis rendered operative and means for indicating the speed eatingmeans. selection made, said backboard comprising, a transparentReferences Cited in the file of this patent rebound surface member tosupport the goal basket thereon, and illumination mounting meansprotectively dis- 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS posed rearwardly of therebound surface member for sup- 2,534,067 Rubin Dec. 12, 1950

1. IN COMBINATION WITH APPARATUS FOR PLAYING BASKETBALL OR THE LIKEHAVING A PLAYING FIELD AND A BACKBOARD ON WHICH A GOAL BASKET IS MOUNTEDABOVE THE PLAYING FIELD ADJACENT ONE SIDE THEREOF; A PLURALITY OF SPOTINDICATORS MOUNTED ON THE BACKBOARD AT POSITIONS CORRESPONDING TONUMBERED SPOT LOCATIONS ON THE PLAYING FIELD FROM WHICH A PLAYER MAYHURL A BALL AGAINST THE BACKBOARD FOR REBOUND INTO THE GOAL BASKET,TIMING MEANS FOR SEQUENTIALLY RENDERING THE SPOT INDICATORS OPERATIVE TOSHOW ELAPSE OF TIME AND DIRECT THE PLAYER AND SCORE COUNTING MEANSRENDERED OPERATIVE IN RESPONSE TO A BALL ENTERING SAID GOAL BASKET WHENA SPOT INDICATOR IS OPERATIVE.